PAWTUCKET — The PawSox are catching fire at just the right time.Behind six one-hit innings from Clayton Mortensen, Pawtucket shut out Buffalo, 3-0, on Monday night for its eighth win in the last nine games....

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By
TIM BRITTON
Posted Aug. 19, 2013 @ 9:19 pm

PAWTUCKET — The PawSox are catching fire at just the right time.

Behind six one-hit innings from Clayton Mortensen, Pawtucket shut out Buffalo, 3-0, on Monday night for its eighth win in the last nine games. The PawSox maintain a one-game lead over Norfolk in the wildcard race, with the Bisons now 2˝ behind. Pawtucket remains two games behind Rochester in the I.L. North.

Mortensen continues to improve with each start, and for the second straight outing, he finished six innings. The lone hit he allowed was a double to center field that Jeremy Hazelbaker just couldn’t track down. Mortensen struck out five and walked three. He has a 1.35 ERA since moving to the rotation.

Dan Butler blasted his 14th home run of the season to left-center in the fourth. Butler has a dozen homers in his last 42 games, during which he has an OPS in excess of 1.000.

Heiker Meneses and Drew Sutton also contributed RBI singles for Pawtucket. Sutton and Jackie Bradley Jr. each had two hits.

Wilson returns

Right-hander Alex Wilson is back with the PawSox, ready to start a throwing program as he tries to return from a lingering right thumb injury.

Wilson appeared on the verge of a major-league return earlier this month before experiencing a setback in his thumb on Aug. 5. He hasn’t pitched since. (He was away for a few days to attend the birth of his first son, Jhett.)

Wilson came out of a hard cast on his thumb Sunday and played catch from 60 feet on Monday.

“I have a throwing schedule here carrying me through at least 10 days,” Wilson said. “We’re going to take that and see what happens.”

Wilson’s rehab clock reset when he had the setback; with only two weeks left in the minor-league season, though, he might not have a chance for a typical rehab assignment.

Wilson has a 4.88 ERA in 272/3 innings for the Red Sox this season.

They could use them

The PawSox are hopeful that outfielders Alex Hassan and Bryce Brentz can return before the end of the minor-league season.

Hassan is on the disabled list with a fractured middle finger on his right hand, suffered last week while attempting to bunt.

“I’m a little sore still, but it’s getting better,” said Hassan, who is wearing a small splint on the very top of that finger. “It’s kind of based on how I feel and how much I can use it before I start playing and swinging.”

Brentz had surgery to repair his meniscus in mid-July. At the time, manager Gary DiSarcina wasn’t optimistic that he’d be able to return this season, but Brentz has started a rehab assignment in the Gulf Coast League. Brentz hit a grand slam for the GCL Red Sox on Monday.

“We’re running out of games,” DiSarcina said. “I’d love for both of them to finish with games under their belt just so they can go into the offseason feeling that they weren’t hurt.”

Sad to see Contreras go

The PawSox granted right-hander Jose Contreras his release on Monday.

The veteran Contreras, signed July 19, allowed nine runs in 92/3 innings for the PawSox.

“Absolutely one of my favorite people ever. Just a gentleman, a professional,” DiSarcina said. “He read the tea leaves and saw that there was no spot here for him. He’s going to go home, go to winter ball. He wants to still pitch in the big leagues. You ask anybody in there, he’s an absolute teddy bear. Everyone loved him to death.”